


Truth and Lies

by Alexis_C



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-05 22:36:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6726205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexis_C/pseuds/Alexis_C
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because Robin always tells the truth, and Usopp always lies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Truth and Lies

**Author's Note:**

> This is not a pairing or story that I ever thought I would write, but the idea got in my head and started rattling around and I had to release it into the world with words.

And they’re dying here, separated from the rest of their crew, and Usopp wishes he was stronger, faster, anything but just plain old Usopp, because now he has something he wants to protect. No, something he has to protect at all costs, no matter what, and he’s failing.

Usopp doesn’t have to look behind him to know Robin is fading fast. He can hear the pained gasps she is trying to stifle, can feel her blood, slick and wet on his fingers. She is bleeding out and she needs Chopper now. If Usopp’s honest with himself, he would admit that it may already be too late, but Usopp’s a liar - the best god damned liar in the world, and if it’s a lie that is going to keep both of them going a little longer, Usopp will damn well lie until his nose stretches across the earth if need be.

“You’re going to be fine,” he whispers, turning and flashing her a false confident smile he doesn’t at all feel. “Our friends will be here soon."

Robin’s pain is deep and real and clear to read in her beautiful blue eyes, but she offers him a tight little smile all the same.

“No, they won’t,” she counters, and her voice trembles a little, and there’s this searing tearing pain in Usopp’s chest that could be his ribs or just his heart cracking, as he catches her eye, and of course she’s not going to fall for those empty words sliding past his lips.

She is Nico Robin after all, and she has seen and known more pain and horror in this world than most people ever will. Despite how cruel the world has been to her, she faces up to everything it has thrown at her without flinching, without pretending it is anything better than it is, without being bitter about any of it. Robin sees through to the heart of the matter, she’s a realist and they are all optimists on Luffy’s ship, so her words are cutting and brutal, but that’s something they need to hear to put things in a little perspective.

Because Robin always tells the truth, and Usopp always lies.

Usopp lies every day, because he can’t face up to the harshness and coldness of his reality where he fears that he’ll never be good enough for the crew, never be worthy enough or useful enough or amount to anything that can make his mother and the friends he left behind in Syrup village proud. Usopp lies because he is not the bravest warrior of the seas, he is not the mightiest, he fears he never will be, and he’s terrified his father will be disappointed in him when they do finally meet. Only in Usopp's lies can his dreams become reality, only in those lies can he find escape from his inner demons, and bring his friends some measure of humour and comfort too. Usopp is afraid to let those thick lies surrounding him unravel, because the lies he’s spun over the years are his armor, and truths, the truths that Robin faces squarely are absolute and terrifying, and Usopp thinks Robin is the bravest woman he has ever known.

Robin is not just a valued companion and member of the Strawhat Pirates, she is a treasure of the world, and she has always suffered for it. She is the only person left who can read the poneglyphs and uncover the true history of the world, and she’s a target now for those who would keep that truth from coming to light.

And it’s just her bad luck that she was stuck on a reconnaissance mission with Usopp when they were attacked. It was the flip of the coin that decided her fate, and Usopp knows she would be safe had she gotten paired with Luffy or Franky or Brook or Chopper or Sanji or Zoro or maybe even Nami.

But Robin got stuck with Usopp, and now she has a tiny merciless bullet lodged in her side, and why wasn’t it him instead? Usopp is nothing to anyone in the world, he’s worthless and ultimately expendable. Robin is not.

Usopp’s badly injured too, he’s sure he’s cracked a couple of ribs, but he’ll live, and with each passing second that goes by, Usopp isn’t sure he can say the same for Robin. The treasure of the world, the treasure of his life, is slipping through his fingers now, her precious blood sipping into the dirty ground beneath, and he’s helpless to do anything but watch. They didn’t have time to call their friends and the transponder snail is gone, lost in that first wave of attacks. No one knows they are in trouble, and they’re not scheduled to be back until the next day. No one is coming to help them. No one is coming to save Robin.

“You may be able to escape,” Robin says, smiling painfully at Usopp, and he can see the tears gathering in her eyes now. “They’re only after me."

Escape? Usopp has always been a coward his entire life, but this one time, he will not turn tail and run. If Robin dies, Usopp will stay and fight and die avenging her, because there will be nothing left for him, once she is gone. Usopp knows he cannot, will not run, because if he does, he will no longer be able to call himself a man, and he will not live out the rest of his life hating himself even more than he already does.

Opposites attract and while it is probably not true for Robin, Usopp can’t help but be fascinated by someone who so relentlessly tells the truth since joining the crew, no matter how obscure or hard it is to hear. Robin is everything he is not, and like a moth to an open flame, he’s as drawn to her beauty as he is to her frankness of character. Usopp is a long way from Kaya and the Syrup village, but Robin eats, breathes and lives just a door away from him.

The first time Usopp had laid eyes on Robin, he had felt nothing but pure terror towards Crocodile’s right hand woman. He’d wanted to squash Luffy, when his captain had so readily agreed to let her on board, and he’d probably been the most suspicious and terrified among them of her. After all, Robin could kill all of them in a heartbeat, if she wanted to. All she has to do, is to sprout a pair of hands and just apply pressure at a certain angle on their necks… It would be so easy for her. Robin is a killer, and where she goes, trouble follows, because she has the destiny of the world on her shoulders. Robin with her ability to read poneglyphs and determination to do so, is quite simply, the world’s most dangerous person to be around, and Usopp has made it a point all his life to move in the opposite direction away from danger. Now, it might seem to run counter to his life philosophy to be part of Luffy’s crew, but what Usopp has effectively done is to surround and place himself in the protection of some of the most dangerous and powerful people in the world. But Usopp can’t offer that same protection to Robin because he’s not as dependable as everyone else and he can’t save her by himself.

Now that is the truth. Cold and hard and ugly and is it any wonder why Usopp always always lies when reality is so bleak?

The only thing Usopp can do now is offer Robin the comfort she deserves, so he drags himself over to where she is and carefully takes her in his arms, pillowing her head against his chest, before taking hold of her hand.

“Make a trade,” Robin says suddenly. “I’m dying anyway, but they might spare you."

“No," Usopp hisses, and he must have crushed her hand in the vehemence of that answer, because she winces, and she’s already in too much pain.

“They’ll come for us,” Usopp promises again. Lies. More lies, one after the other, piling up and drowning them both.

Robin doesn’t say anything else, but Usopp can tell she knows what will happen and has already accepted her fate. It defines her after all, her one life goal is the pursuit of the ultimate truth. Cruel irony then that she’s spending her last moments with the world’s greatest liar.

Whenever Usopp looks at Robin, he sees the wisdom of the world and the beauty of ocean all reflected in her ice blue eyes, and he’s just happy to admire her from a distance. Usopp never intended to tell Robin of his attraction and even now, he’ll keep his lips sealed. Robin doesn’t need the burden of his affections in her life. She deserves someone who can protect her like Franky or Zoro, and not a coward like him. Usopp has no right to even try, not with someone like Robin, and so he’ll take the secret to an early grave, even if Robin knows. And of course she knows, she’s the smartest, most insightful person he’s ever known.

“I’m glad you’re here with me,” Robin whispers, and then she closes her eyes, squeezing his hand so gently, he wouldn’t have detected the soft pressure if not for the fact that Usopp’s every sense is attuned to Robin’s every movement, and has been for some time now.

Usopp searches frantically for a heart beat, pressing his ear to her chest. It is slow and sluggish, but he detects the soft rhythmic beat, and Robin will live for a little while yet.

Her body is turning cold, and Usopp presses her to him, hoping she can draw some warmth from him, that the spark of life in him will somehow pass to her. Her cascading raven black hair is matted with blood and dirt, and he doesn’t want to look, but can’t help staring at the colour draining out of her body, staining everything around her a dark red, turning her lips almost blue now.

Robin is too kind to say that to him, and Usopp thinks she’s finally lying now to make him feel better, because Robin sees too clearly, and she knows Usopp blames himself for their predicament, for losing the transponder snail, and for not being to protect her. Usopp has thrice damned himself now, the first when he fell for her, the second when he wasn’t fast enough to take that bullet and now, for making her lie to him.

There’s a warm moisture in his eyes, and Usopp swipes it away furiously. He will not cry. He has no right to tears either.

He has one last pop green left, and he intends to make it count, to take down as many of these bastards as he can, before they take him out.

Almost as if on cue, the underbrush hiding them parts, and the light that shines through is blinding. Usopp hears a triumphant shout of “Found them!”, and then he springs into action, moving on pure instinct instead of thought, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Usopp draws the band on his sling shot back then he lets loose with the last of his pop greens, and suddenly the forest in front of them explodes into flame, and Usopp has to throw himself above Robin to protect her from the flames and heat. He hears the screams of agony from the injured and dying around him, and this is what he’ll do for Robin, he’ll be a killer, many times over, to keep her alive a little longer.

Only suddenly, there’s water everywhere, and the flames writhing before them have been put out and of course, there’s a devil fruit user among these assassins.

There’s a man smiling cruelly before them. Usopp doesn’t know who he is, but he knows he’s here to kill Robin, and ignoring the pain in his side that’s screaming with each move he takes, he places himself squarely between Robin and this killer, determined to buy every last second he can for her with his life’s blood.

“Usopp,” he hears Robin say in a weak voice. “Stand aside.”

Her voice trembles, and whether it is in pain or fear, he can’t tell, but Usopp will not move. He’s immovable stone now, and they will have to kill him before he lets them through to her.

“Listen to the Devil Child,” the man before him says. “We’ll spare your life, if you help us take down the Strawhat Pirates.” There are more men appearing behind him as he speaks and they are surrounded now. This is it. This is the end Usopp had been hiding them from.

They want Usopp to abandon Robin to death and draw his friends into a trap in return for his life. And that is a deal Usopp will not make. The price for his life is just too high.

“Never,” Usopp snarls, and then a scream is knocked out of him as a punch like steel lands on his bruised ribs.

“We’ll see if you change your mind in a moment."

And blows are raining on him, and Usopp knows he’s being beaten to within an inch of his life, but he’s almost numb to the pain now. All he has is fear for Robin.

And just for a second the blows stops, and Usopp can barely lift his head, but he does, and there is Robin propping herself up in her classic pose, her entire body shaking, hands crossed in front of her, her eyes shut in intense concentration as an extra pair of hands pin the arms of the man beating Usopp behind him, and even now, Robin’s trying to save his life.

Then she cries out, as one of his subordinates backhand her, and this time Robin doesn’t get up and Usopp’s afraid she’s gone now, but then her chest rises and falls, and she is still hanging in there somehow.

“Don’t touch her,” Usopp hisses, and he coughs, spitting out dark blood.

“The witch deserves it and more. Do you know how many she has slaughtered?"

Usopp knows the answer is countless, but in the days since Robin has joined them, he’s noticed how her attacks are less lethal now, focussed on protection, prevention, and escaping rather than snapping that tender thread of life. The Strawhats have made her soft and maybe that’s why she is dying here now.

Another punch lands on Usopp’s face, and he falls back, in front of Robin, and when Usopp looks up again, he is staring straight into the barrel of a gun aimed in his face.

“What will it be? The Demon of Ohara is as good as dead, and if you don’t help us, you will be too. Move aside and we will have your answer."

This is really it now. Life is one full circle and today Usopp, a sharpshooter, will be killed by a gun. It would be wrong to say that Usopp isn’t frightened. He’s terrified as a matter of fact. Usopp can safely say that he has never been so scared in his life, and an inner traitorous voice is screaming at him to make the deal, betray all his friends, and live to see another day.

Usopp doesn’t realise he’s speaking until he hears his own shaking voice.

“O-Over my dead body!"

“Have it your way."

Usopp feels the black feathery tips of the wings of death brushing by him, as he stares right into the barrel before him, but he doesn't move an inch. He wishes with his whole heart that it could be different. Would that he could save Robin, but life is not a fairytale. In this last act at least, he will be brave. He will not close his eyes. He will not look away.

The pistol fires, and it’s deafening and final.

… Only it misses, and there’s a trickling warmth down Usopp’s ear, as the gun falls to the ground in pieces.

The tiny bullet that was meant for his head has been cleaved into two halves, and there’s Zoro, a solid reassuring presence standing between Usopp and what was certain death. There’s a weird sickly gurgle, and Zoro’s flicking the blood off his sword as Usopp’s would-be killer collapses on the ground.

“Don’t be so quick to throw your life away,” Zoro growls, as he places the hilt of his sword between his teeth, and there’s anger smothering in his eyes - only Usopp knows the anger is only partly directed at him, and some of their would-be killers will not live past this day. All around Usopp, pitched battles are raging as Luffy, Sanji and Brook are taking the fight to their assailants, who are futilely defending themselves.

“R-Robin,” Usopp manages to stutter, turning around, but she’s already safe in Franky’s arms, with a frantic Chopper working on her.

“We have to get her back to the ship!” Chopper yells.

“Leave it to me,” Franky announces, his voice booming like cannons, and then he’s taking off to the skies, with Chopper perched on his shoulders, and Robin looks so tiny and vulnerable nestled against his huge robotic body, but she is finally finally in safe hands now.

The relief flooding through Usopp saps every last ounce of his strength. All at once, he's feeling the pain of each blow, and now Usopp is falling, but instead of the hard ground rushing up to meet him, it’s Nami who staggers to the ground under his weight, but cushions his fall.

“That was really brave of you, Usopp,” Nami tells him softly, her fiery hair forming a soft curtain around them as she looks down on him, her eyes gentle and understanding.

But her voice sounds like it is coming from a long way off and Usopp is barely paying attention, because he is filled with gratitude, and now the tears are flowing freely down his cheeks.

Because Usopp thinks that maybe Robin will be okay after all, and he will have told the truth today for once in his life.

And if that is the case, Robin and the Strawhat Pirates will have finally made an honest man out of the world’s greatest liar.


End file.
